Coming off of a down year in 2011, the 2012 Portland Pilots baseball team has shown that they won’t let it happen again. The Pilots started their season Feb. 17-19 in Beaumont, Texas and played two games at Lamar University, winning both matchups against Stephen. F. Austin. Portland left Texas with a 2-0 record and a world of optimism. The Pilots arrived back home and continued the momentum that was gained in Texas over the weekend. Tuesday night, University of Portland beat Concordia University 11-4, and dominated their private small college local rival from Northeast Portland throughout the entire game this was no gimme; Concordia plays well against good competition despite the fact that they are an NAIA school. The two teams will meet again March 6th at the brand new sports complex at Concordia.
The Pilots have been hitting very well, scoring at least 10 runs in each of the three games that have been played, producing 5 home runs and 31 runs. Three of the team’s home runs came in the second game against Stephen F. Austin.
Shortstop Chris Kappuala, catcher Ben Grubb, infielder Turner Gill, and freshman infielder Caleb Whalen all went yard, which is a very good sign for the Pilot offense, knowing that pitching is always ahead of hitting this time of the year.
Friday starter (1st in rotation) Kyle Kraus threw a good game, going 7 innings and giving up 3 hits in his season debut and got the win in game one against Stephen F. Austin. Kraus also had good run support as he took the mound with an 11 run advantage. The Pilots won the first game 11-0 on 16 hits, and the second game in Beaumont, was also won by the Pilots 10-5 as they raked Stephen F. Austin pitching. “We don’t have areas that we are second guessing or uncomfortable about on the field. Each player brings something to the table, including the true freshmen who are playing, and freshman Travis Radke is the real deal,” assistant coach Tucker Brack said Tuesday night. “As long as we keep doing what we are doing, I know we can compete with anybody, we have the team to do it, and I really think we can contend for the West Coast Conference championship this year.”
The Pilots’ successes are in the hands of the coaching staff and the pitching staff, and if either fails, so will the season. The key players, Kris Kauppila, Turner Gill, Kody Watts, Ben Grubb, Colin Sowers and the rest of the Pilots need to sustain the success they are building on, and we will find a lot more about this year’s potential WCC champs after this weekend’s three game series with Creighton University (strong Jesuit school in Omaha, Nebraska). If Portland wins 2 of 3 and take the series, or sweep the series, I see this team going deep in the NCAA regionals. The weekend series will be played at Joe Etzel Field, on the University of Portland campus.
As long as the arms stay healthy, and the bats keep getting hot, the Pilots won’t just be WCC contenders; they will have the potential of a major national title contender.
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